Premises Liability

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a mall, store, restaurant, hotel, private home, private property, nursing home, hospital, or elsewhere, the Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth, a personal injury firm in San Diego, California, may be able to help you seek damages for your losses. Slip and fall injuries can be dangerous and deadly for people of all ages, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, they are particularly dangerous and deadly for older Americans. Approximately one in four Americans over age 65 will suffer a fall in the next year alone. And, among older Americans, falls are a leading cause of injury and even death.

Fortunately, falls are highly preventable. Simple measures like keeping floors clear of debris and moisture, checking rugs and floor surfaces for tripping hazards, and placing grab bars in areas like bathrooms used by the disabled and the elderly are simple steps that premises owners can take to prevent slip, trips, and falls. However, sometimes premises owners fail to take steps to prevent slips and falls on their property. If this is the case, victims and their families may be entitled to seek damages for losses, medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and pain and suffering damages. The Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth, a personal injury firm in San Diego, California, may be able to help you seek damages for your losses. Contact our firm for a free initial consultation today.

What Duties Do Premises Owners Have?

What are the duties of property owners when it comes to ensuring the safety of customers and people invited onto their property? Business owners who run restaurants, stores, malls, hotels, or other businesses have a duty or obligation to exercise due care to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition to avoid or prevent slips, trips, and falls on their properties. Hospitals and nursing homes also have the same affirmative duty of care when it comes to preventing injuries of patients, guests, and residents. Business owners must inspect floors, keep floors clear of moisture, and fix any known hazards, like broken or uneven floor surfaces, broken rails on stairwells, or any other known hazards.

If you were injured due to a slip or trip and fall accident, you would have to show that the property/business owner knew, or should have known, about hazard and failed to take steps to either warn guests about the situation or failed to take steps to remedy the situation. If you were injured at a friend’s home, you may be entitled to make a claim with the individual’s homeowner’s insurance or condo association insurance for your medical bills and other losses.

If you were injured due to a slip and fall or were hurt on a business’s premises, in San Diego, California, you may have certain rights under the law. The Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth, a personal injury firm, may be able to help you. Contact our firm today to learn more and to schedule a free consultation.

Types of Premises Liability Accidents in San Diego, California

While slip and fall accidents may be a common kind of premises liability accident, this is by no means the only kind of accident that can occur on another person or business’s property. What kind of premises liability claims can the Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth handle? Here are a few:

• Amusement Park Injuries. If you or a loved one has been hurt on a ride at an amusement park, you may have certain rights under the law. Whether you were hurt on a ride, hurt on a water slide, or suffered a slip and fall injury at an amusement park, you may have the right to make a claim under the law.
• Elevator and Escalator Injuries. Property owners have a responsibility to keep elevators and escalators in good working order. When these devices aren’t properly maintained, individuals can get hurt. If you were hurt on an elevator or escalator in San Diego, California, you may have the right to seek damages under the law.
• Stairwell Injuries. Property owners have a responsibility to properly maintain stairwells. This includes having proper railings and fixing any known issues with a stairwell. Slippery surfaces, lack of proper hand railings, and other issues can lead to injuries.
• Swimming Pool Injuries. Pools pose unique risks. For one, there’s the slip and fall risk. Secondly, pool owners have a responsibility to properly gate and secure their pools. If a neighbor’s child trespasses the property, gets into the pool, and drowns, or suffers an injury, the pool owner could be held liable. Pool owners also have a duty to keep their pools clean and to ensure that their pool’s chemical balance isn’t dangerous.
• Property and premises owners may have a duty to properly secure their property. For example, night club owners or bar owners may have a special duty to properly secure these premises. If you were violently injured or hurt because a property owner failed to take security measures, you may have certain rights under the law.
• Sidewalk Injuries. If a person is injured on a sidewalk outside a business or property, the person may have the right to sue the property owner or possibly the City. If you have questions about your rights after a sidewalk injury, contact the Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth today.

These are just some scenarios where injuries can take place. If you or a loved one were hurt on another person’s property, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a personal injury claim. Contact the Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth, a personal injury firm in San Diego, California, today. Our firm offers clients a free initial consultation during which we can review your claim and help you understand the next steps to seeking justice for your losses.